The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-31
who proves to be an offensive partisan has been


for that reason removed"
The report then givss figures concerning ap-
pointments and removals in the Departments Of
Justice and the Interior The changes in the
former have amounted to 80 per cent, and in the |
latter to II per cent The report says the Indian
Bureau has been managed In the interests Of
party and chat Indian affairs are in q state Of I'M
happy confusion The report continues:
1T will be observed from this review that
while the removals in the classified departmental
service, which includes $3.50 persons, amounted
to 81 per cent in the first fifteen months OF the
administration. the percentage iu the rest OF the
service, which includes about 100 900 places not
affected by tho rules, was very much larger.
The first class, however, cannot be fairly as |
sumed to show the proportion of all removals
that ought to have been made for valid reasons |
because it is confined mainly to c.erkships III
Washington, while the second class embraces
the various branches of the civil service through
out the country. including the postofices, in
which the public interest undoubtedly demanded
many changes. Bat conceding tho pfopriety of
such removals, the percentage of changes in the
unclassified service seems to be TOO large to JUS
tify the conclusion that they were generally
made with sole regard to the public interests.
and such facts as those shown by Mr.. Swift in
Indiana and by the most competent inquirers
into the management of the Indian bureau may
be accepted as illustrations of the reasons other
than those connected with efficient non partisan
large percentage OF removals
"These facts and the conclusions from them
are strengthened by the details of the course of
the administration in Maryland. The situation
in that State has been very clearly and fully laid
before the committee In no State Of the
Union, probably, are politics more corrupt.
Fraud and dishonesty are especially familiar at
elections in Baltimore; but happily there is a
most intelligent and resolute body of citizens of
both parties in the State who persistently ex-
pose and courageously resist the evil-doers The
pending political question in Maryland when
the administration entered upon it's duties. was
the reelection of Senator German. who had
been chairman of the Democratic national exec
utive committee during the presidential cam
paign. Senator German is well known as
very adroit and successful politician and he
is equally we'll known az heartily hos
tile to civilservice reform. The political
situation in Maryland made 1t indispensable to
the qualification Of his desire of reelection that
he should be supposed to control the patronage
of the State But he is so conspicuous leader
of the system which is opposed to reform, and he
was 80 VIGOROUSLY in control OF the party una
chine, that it was utterly impossible to suppose
that he would be selected as counselor Of an ad
ministration seeking reform OF the abuses Of
which he was . chief representative. Politically
speaking. Senator German was the very thing
to be reformed, and his interference and solicita
ton upon the subject Of appointments upon
which he was to vote as Senator would be evil
IDENTIFY an insult to the executive and gross
| abuse of the Constitution In view of the
4
| form purpose Of the administration, and
OF the proper relations of the
executive and legislative authority, it seemed to
| be plain that Senator German would not in the
! current phrase control the patronage of the
| State. But this conviction. If it should become
| general. would be fatal to tho Senator'S plans,
| and it was. therefore absolutely indispensable
| for him that it should be removed at the very
! beginning OF the administration brsome posi-
| tive significant and uumistakable act. This act
| appeared in Of the earliest appointments
| made by he administration, that of Eugene
| Higgins, prominent political retainer of the
| Senator's, to an important minor position in the
| treasury. This was an incident which could not
| be misunderstood. It demonstrated the Sera-
| tors influence and power. and even If there had
| been any possible misund erstanding of its pur-
| port. tho misunderstanding was entirely dis
| PEELED by subsequent appointments.
| ''The committee has very detailed and anthem
tic information concerning the chief appoint
ments in Maryland. But within the limits of a
report we can only stIte our conclusions with
out reproducing the detail of facts upon which
| they are based. The character of these appoint
| ments shows plainly that the influence which
! determined most of them was that Of Senator
German, sustained in general by his congress
| sional colleagues, with one or two exceptions.
This fact is not less significant because some of
the persons selected were not personal friends
of the Senator and are OF high personal charac-
| ter 1t is, of course, absolutely impossible TO
| reconcile with respect to sound principles of
| reform, appointments made in Difference to the
advice, or with regard to the interests of con-
| spicuous enemy of REFORM whose unsolicited
interference was an unseemly impertnence
and q constitutional NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
| sometimes made notwithstanding the uncontra-
dictsd evidence of notorious unitness submitted
| to the executive by trustworthy and disinter-
ested citizens. 1t is equally impossible that the
political situation in Maryland and the political
| reputation OF Senator German should have been
unknown to the administration. or that. under
the circumstances, the Senator's advice respect
| ing appointments should have been supposed to
be disintsrested, or to be given chiefly with re-
| gard to the public welfare, with any intention
whatever OF promoting reform in the civil service
1t plain that the worst appointments in the State
| have been made either at the avowed request
or to the manifest political advantage of the Sen
| ator, and that except in a very few instances
| no important appointment has been displeasrng
| to him. The interests of Senator and of fac
tion not of the public service nor Of reform
nor even Of a party, have apparently dictated
the chief appointments in MARYLAND. This is
| the conviction OF the warmest friends of reform
| in that State in all parties, and it is certainly
justified by the information that have re-
ceived."
Individual appointments in Maryland, Mis-
souri, and Indiana are condemned. tho circular
letter of the President of July Il, 1885, is cited,
and the report adds:
These facts show that the course of the ad-
ministration in regard to appointments. re-
movals and suspensions has been irregular
inconsistent and sometimes inexplieable 1t has
not adhered infexibly to uniform policy, and
in many branches Of tho SERVICE and especially
in the States of Indiana and Maryland, its con-
duct has greatly disheartened many friends of
reform. In other parts OF the country, as in
the city of New York and in New England. its
chief appointments have been generally so ex-
cellent as to command public respect and con-
fdence. Indeed. the strong hold of the reform
upon the public mind is shown by nothing more
plainly than by the fact that popular opinion is
most favorable to the administration wherever
the administration has shown itself most faithful
to reform.
'On the other hand, the returns Of the late
elections show that where patronage was mos,
largely used to promote partisan ends, the losses
| of the administration party have been largest